


The Darkwood Chronicles

by Witryso



Category: Nick Nocturne - Fandom, Night Mind, youtube - Fandom
Genre: Gen, Horror, Mystery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-03-11
Packaged: 2019-11-04 06:03:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17892890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Witryso/pseuds/Witryso
Summary: When a psychologist returns to his childhood home, he finds that things have drastically changed, and that the arrival of night brings only mystery and horror. What ancient secrets does the town of Darkwood hold, and what is his part in all of it?





	1. Chapter 1

“Please keep your seatbelts fastened until the seatbelt sign is turned off. We’d like to thank you for flying with us, and we wish you safe travels. Welcome to Darkwood.”

The view of the nearly pitch black city from the airplane window offered no such welcome. Looking outside was like looking at a night sky, almost void of lights aside from a few pinpoints scattered across the horizon. It didn’t last long, as several night owls clicked off their office lights and began descending their skyscraper of employment, eager to get home as safely and as quickly as possible. One such individual was also eager, although not necessarily for the same reasons as the other residents of Darkwood.

Alex could hardly believe ten years had gone by so fast. In all the old photos Skylar had sent him, he looked so different. Only a decade ago, he was facing the world with a smile on his face and hope in his heart. It was only after he left Darkwood that reality hit him like a train. It wasn’t that living and working in Detroit was bad. If it was, he wouldn’t have waited ten years to finally come home. Things were just more…difficult in Detroit. It was the only other city he’d ever lived in in his life, so he wasn’t quite used to the way things worked. Of course, you’d think ten years would be plenty of time to become accustomed, but strangely enough, that wasn’t the case. It was as if the longer he stayed there, the more out-of-place he felt. Returning to Darkwood would definitely be a relief.

The baggage claim was all but completely empty, save for the other passengers Alex had shared the flight with. Several of them crowded around the conveyor belt, snatching up their luggage as soon as it passed by and making a beeline for the exit. Those who had to wait for their things tapped their feet impatiently, nervously looking around the room. Alex payed them no mind as he waited for his own suitcase. When it finally came, it was quickly snagged off the belt by a pair of feminine hands, much to Alex’s dismay.

“Hey!” he shouted, stepping around the crowd to confront the would-be thief, only to be met with the mischievous grin of his sister, holding his suitcase out to him.

“I’m sorry, did you not want any help with your luggage?” 

Alex sighed as he took the bag back and set it down before throwing his arms around Skylar’s slender form. She was quick to return the affection, her smile never leaving her face.

“You always were touching my stuff without permission…” Alex muttered.

Skylar giggled as she released the hug and took hold of Alex’s suitcase once again. “Better me than some stranger, right? Especially in this town.”

The siblings began the short walk to the parking lot with Alex’s luggage in tow. 

“Shouldn’t be much traffic this late at night,” said Skylar. “Remind me again, you don’t need a ride to the new office, right?”

“Nah, it’s just a short walk from your place. I don’t know what’s luckier, that I was able to find a place close by or that you were willing to let me move in with you.”

“Are you kidding me? We’re family, Alex. My door is always open to you. Besides, you and I? We need to stick together. With mom gone and dad elsewhere, we really only have each other to count on, you know?”

Alex nodded. None of their other relatives lived nearby, and they had very few close friends between the two of them. When it came down to emotional and moral support, his dad and Skylar were really the only ones he could turn to.

“Come on, let’s hurry up and get out of here before it’s too late.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

 

The streets that Alex remembered being packed shoulder to shoulder with city-goers were now nearly barren. Small businesses and chain stores alike had closed up shop for the night, and it was barely even ten o’clock. The only lights came from the few illuminated windows in some of the taller buildings, as well as the street lamps that ran up and down the streets. Even so, Skylar’s car was still relatively dark, being lit only briefly by the street lamps as they drove by. 

“There a curfew or something?” Alex asked.

Skylar shook her head. “No, but there might as well be. Barely anyone stays out after ten anymore.”

“Why?”

“Well, for one thing, crime rates have gone up drastically, but only at night. More serious stuff, too. Kidnappings, attempted homicides, successful homicides, you name it.” Skylar briefly looked out her window as they passed by the local hospital. “One night we got a call from the hospital, said a man walked in saying someone took his kidney. They didn’t find any stitches or anything on him, but…” Skylar paused to take a breath in. “then they x-rayed him, and lo and behold, only one kidney.”

Alex blinked. “How…”

“No one knows. And that’s just one example of the weird shit that happens at night. And nobody, not one person in town has an explanation for it.”

“There’s always an explanation,” reassured Alex. “Even if you don’t know what it is, there’s always one.”

Skylar hummed. “Had a feeling you’d say that…you really haven’t changed a bit. You know what you remind me of?”

“Mom?” Alex guessed.

“Well, yeah, of course. But I mean, you remind me a lot of how Darkwood USED to be. Before you left. I mean, I have so many fond memories of this place, and all of them involve you. When you left, it was like, all those memories just faded away, and now I barely recognize the place.”

Alex put his hand on Skylar’s shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Then it’s a good thing I came back. Maybe we can make some more memories…good ones, too.”

Skylar smiled, looking back at Alex as they pulled onto Darkwood Boulevard, one of the few streets Alex actually recognized. “I’d like that.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

Skylar’s apartment was quite a bit smaller than the one Alex had in Detroit. There was a main ‘living’ room with a TV, couch, and coffee table. A kitchenette in the front corner, facing the nearly wall-height windows in the back. On the left, two doors that each led to a bedroom; one the master, the other the guest. On the right, one more door led to the bathroom. As small as it was, Alex felt at home for the first time in a decade. 

“The guest room’s all set up for you,” said Skylar as she settled onto the couch, placing two coffee mugs on the table. “I don’t really have guests anymore, so consider it yours.”

Alex nodded as he poured a bit of cream into his coffee and took a sip. He smacked his lips and furrowed his brow before pouring a bit more cream. “I’ll take what I can get. I’m just glad to finally be home.”

Skylar set her mug down after taking a long drink. “I was actually going to ask you about that. I’m sure I’ve asked you before, but I don’t really think I got a clear answer. Why did you decide to come back?”

Alex slowly lowered his mug from his lips and turned his head to face Skylar. It was a question she’d asked before, and she was right; he didn’t really give a clear answer. It was only about a month ago that he called and informed her of his plan, and his mind was too occupied with the moving process to really think about the reason for it all. “Well, I don’t really want to call it ‘homesickness.’ It’s difficult to explain. I mean, I enjoyed living in Detroit, it was a beautiful city, but after a while it just didn’t feel…right. I’d be walking down the street, and I’d see something; a store, a street sign, something that reminded me of Darkwood. I’d see that and I’d think ‘I should be in Darkwood, I should be home.’ I initially chalked it up to homesickness, but it just kept happening. It’s like I’m supposed to be here.”

“Sounds to me like you don’t have an explanation, mister ‘explanation for everything,’” Skylar teased, smirking behind her mug.

“Hey, I said even if you don’t know the explanation, there always is one. Maybe it is just homesickness. Whatever it is, I’m glad to be back.”

“I’m glad you’re back, too,” said Skylar as she finished off her coffee. After covering a yawn, she gave Alex one last hug before setting her mug in the sink and retiring to her bedroom. “Be sure to turn out the lights before you hit the sack.”

As the bedroom door shut, Alex stood up, mug in hand, and turned to face the darkened view of the cityscape from the large window. The only lights left on at that point were the streetlights, bathing the streets in an eerie orange glow. There was no doubt in Alex’s mind; Darkwood was not the same. The town he remembered as vibrant and full of life had undergone a dark and mysterious change in the time he’d left. The streets he walked countless times in his youth had become unfamiliar and strange. Still, he felt at ease. As he turned out the lights and let darkness wash over the guest room as he settled in for the night, he breathed in relief. The silence of the empty streets lulled him into a restful sleep.

He was home.

——————————————————————————————————————————

When Alex woke up the next morning, he was hit by a wave of nostalgia as soon as he glanced out the window. Now that Darkwood Boulevard was in the daylight, Alex could recognize it much easier. It was a completely different picture than the one he’d seen not twelve hours earlier. The streets were busy, with cars and pedestrians alike going about their daily business. Many of the people had smiling faces as they strode down the sidewalk; quite different from the nervous-looking travelers Alex had seen at the airport. He smiled, eager to start the day in the town he knew.

Skylar treated him to breakfast at a local cafe before he headed to work at his new office, just a few blocks from Skylar’s apartment building. Taking the building’s elevator up to the 4th floor led to the waiting room, where a few patients already sat. They had the same look that many of the previous patients that Alex worked with had; damaged, but hopeful. Alex smiled at them as he approached the secretary, who told him that his first patient was ready to see him. As he turned to enter his office, he took one last look back at the patients; specifically, the one sitting apart from the others.

Alex put her at somewhere in her forties. Her brown hair was messy and uncombed, and it looked like she had slept in her outfit the previous night. While the others were on their phones or reading magazines, she stared straight ahead, nervously wringing her hands. Alex was reminded of the people he’d seen at the airport the previous night, but much worse off. She looked like she had witnessed some awful event, and like she hadn’t been getting much sleep because of it.

Appropriately, she was the first patient to enter his office.

She sat on the couch in much the same way as she did in the waiting room, staring straight ahead as Alex sat across from her. He took a quick look over her various documents and made a note regarding paranoia and anxiety before addressing her. 

“So, Mrs. Thornes, can you tell me what brought you here today?”

Alex watched her blink for the first time since sitting down and open her mouth slightly. He could almost see the gears turning in her head; not thinking about what to say, but how to say it. 

“It’s this dream I’ve been having,” she finally said. “Every night in a row for the past two weeks or so. I always wake up in a cold sweat, terrified to go back to sleep. It’s just awful.”

Alex looked over her file as she spoke. She was generally healthy, both physically and mentally. There was no indication of past trauma or anything else that would cause a recurring nightmare. Still, it was possible, as rare as it was. “Can you explain what happens in the dream?” he asked.

Mrs. Thornes nodded. “When it starts, it’s during a different dream entirely. I’ll be walking somewhere, like a hallway in my house or at the supermarket, and from there, I end up somewhere dark, like a tunnel or a cave. I keep walking until I see a light, just around the corner. As I round the corner, I see the light’s coming from this big fire, like a bonfire, with a bunch of people standing around it…”

“Do you recognize these people?” 

Mrs. Thornes shook her head.

Alex thought that was somewhat odd. If these people were in a recurring dream, they must have had some sort of impact on Mrs. Thornes’ life, but somehow she didn’t recognize him. There was the possibility that they were from some time far in her past, as the mind sometimes pulled subconscious memories of people in places into dreams, but it was still unlikely for recurring nightmares.

“They’re all gathered around the fire, and I can hear them chanting something, like monks. I get closer, and they all start staring at me, and the chanting gets louder and louder. As I get closer to the fire, I see this faint shimmer in it, like there’s something shiny in it. Then, I usually wake up.” 

Alex made a few notes before looking up at her again. “If I may say so, that sounds like something out of a horror movie. Now, recurring nightmares are common, and they usually go away on their own. If you want, I can prescribe you some sleeping medication to help you get back to sleep if it happens again.”

“Alright, but…I feel silly saying this, but I feel like it’s…a message. I don’t know what it is, it just seems…evil…”

Alex sighed quietly. “Mrs. Thornes, dreams are nothing more than the result of various chemicals being released by our brains while we sleep. I’m sure any meaning you find is the result of pure coincidence rather than symbols and abstractions. Now, would you like the sleeping pills?”

Mrs. Thorne slowly nodded. “Yes, thank you. Oh, before I go, there’s something else I wanted to mention.”

“Go right ahead,” Alex replied as he began scribbling down a prescription.

“Last night, the dream was different than it usually was. It was all the same up until when I usually wake up. The fire suddenly went out and the chanting stopped. All I could see was darkness, until these…eyes appeared. And they weren’t…normal eyes…”

“What did they look like?” he asked, still focused on his scribbling.

“There was four of them, one pair on top of another. The bottom pair was a bright green, and the top was purple and smaller than the other pair. They stared at me for a few seconds, and then I woke up.”

Alex paused and listened as she explained. Recurring dreams were common, but recurring dreams that suddenly change like that were not as common. Of course, it was still possible, if exceptionally rare. He finished up scribbling before handing the prescription to the older woman. “The mind is a strange and wonderful thing, Mrs. Thornes. Just when it seems like you can predict what it’ll do next, it throws you a curveball…”

——————————————————————————————————————————

 

The rest of the work day was uneventful, and Alex came home that evening with a sense of pride. While he couldn’t solve every problem that plagued Darkwood, he could still help people in the best way he knew how. And who knew? Maybe after a few months, the town wouldn’t be so intimidating at night. 

Skylar had thankfully given him her spare key, and as he entered her apartment, he was greeted by the sight of several books piled up on the kitchenette counter. Skylar was reading out of a particularly large one as she sat on the couch. 

“Cramming for a history test?” Alex teased as he hung up his jacket. 

Skylar grinned at his joke and shook her head. “Not exactly. We’re low on leads for a robbery case, so I figured I’d do a little research.”

Alex picked up a book off the counter that read ‘Darkwood Local History and Heritage’ on the cover. A bit of an odd resource when it came to investigating a robbery. “Uh, what exactly was stolen? Or is that classified information?”

“Oh, I forgot, you haven’t really been keeping up with the news, have you?” Skylar asked, not even looking up from her book. “Natural History Museum was robbed a few weeks back. Something in their archives, of all places. A gemstone, I think. We initially thought the crook would try to sell it, but so far it hasn’t popped up in the black market. I figured if I learned a little bit more about the gem itself, that’d give us a clue.”

Alex approached her and peered over her shoulder at the book she was reading. It was mostly black and white pictures of Darkwood back in the 18th century or so. “Find anything yet?”

“Nothing too relevant. I did find out that Darkwood has a rather gruesome past, did you know that?”

“No, not at all…”

“Yeah, listen to this. Witch trials, serial killers, disappearances, all kinds of weird and unexplained stuff. I can’t believe I didn’t know about any of this until now…”

To Alex, it was a tad jarring to hear all of this about the town he grew up in. He remembered thinking as a kid that Darkwood was just the perfect town to live in. He couldn’t really think of anything that was wrong with it until he was much older. That’s just how growing up worked; as a kid, you think life is just peachy and everything’s great, but as you get older, you learn a bit more of the ‘truth’ about life and its hardships. The rest of the night went smoothly as Skylar did her research and Alex relaxed until they both went to bed.

Alex had nearly forgotten about Mrs. Thornes’ dream until the next day…

——————————————————————————————————————————

 

Alex’s experiences in the new office were nearly identical to the experiences he had in Detroit. He’d meet with some patients, take a lunch break, talk with colleagues, meet with more patients, repeat. As a kid, he was always encouraged by his father to step out of his comfort zone every once in a while, but now that he was older, he didn’t see a reason to. To him, he’d found a perfect little niche to settle into and sit in until he retired. He always made enough to afford the essentials, and then some. He was even tossing around the idea of buying his own place in the future. If he was honest, he thought his life was turning out just fine.

For the time being, at least.

At a little past 3 o’clock, a man, somewhere in his mid-thirties, came into Alex’s office. He talked for a while about his family situation, mainly about being a stay-at-home dad while his wife went across town for work. Typical fare, Alex thought, though good on him for coming in to talk about it instead of repressing it like most husbands did. He made a note regarding couple’s counseling before asking something standard.

“Do you have trouble sleeping because of these issues?”

The man shook his head. “No, I usually sleep like a baby…although, I have been having these weird nightmares for a while…makes it hard to get back to sleep.”

Alex paused in his note-taking and looked at him. The man was under some mental stress because of his home situation, so a recurring nightmare would be more common for him. “How long would you say you’ve been having them?”

“I dunno, a couple weeks?”

“What happens in these nightmares?” Alex pressed, unblinking eyes trained on his patient.

The man rubbed his hands together as he tried to recall his dreams. “Wherever I am, it’s pitch black, but I can feel myself walking forward. Eventually I see this faint glow, like a fire. Well, turns out it is a fire, and there’s some people all around it. They’re all holding hands with each other, like it’s a prayer circle or something. They make an opening for me and I walk right up to the fire. I can see something shiny in it, but I can’t tell exactly what it is. And that’s usually when I wake up.”

Alex was nearly at a loss for words. “…And it’s always like this?”

“Yeah…well, actually there was something different about it ‘bout two nights ago. The eighteenth, I think. Everything went normally until I got right up next to the fire. Suddenly everything went dark, and out of the darkness, I see these eyes. Four of them, one pair above the other. Top pair was purple, and the bottom was a bright green. They just…stare at me until I wake up…”

“Dreams are strange things,” Alex blurted out. “With any luck, they’ll go away on their own.” He was quick to usher the man out the door, mentioning couple’s counseling to him as he left. Thankfully, he was rather cooperative despite Alex’s sudden change in attitude. Alone for the time being, Alex struggled to comprehend the situation. 

How could two different people have the same exact dream, down to the last little detail? How on earth could the same change occur to both dreams on the same day?! There must have been some sort of logical explanation. There HAD to be a logical explanation!

Right?

This seemingly impossible occurrence occupied Alex’s thoughts for the rest of the work day, well into the evening, when Darkwood had become silent and empty yet again. He arrived back home to Skylar once again looking over her many history books. He considered telling her about his odd dilemma, but he decided she already had enough to deal with. He simply tried to relax, the two of them sharing a pizza for dinner before retiring to bed.

As he drifted off to sleep, Alex prayed that he wouldn’t have to deal with the seemingly inexplicable mystery the next day…

——————————————————————————————————————————

 

Two of Alex’s patients that day crushed his hopes of normalcy. 

They came in an hour apart. The first, a student at the local community college, under a lot of stress from the new semester (and her rather obnoxious roommate). The second, a man in his late forties, paranoid that his husband was cheating on him. Both of them described the same dream, with the same details, down to the eyes that suddenly appeared on the eighteenth. Alex tried to brush it off, push it out of his mind. He had given up trying to explain it and just settled for trying to forget about it, but to no avail. 

The next day, there were two more claims about the mysterious dream.

Then three.

Then four.

Every day, Alex heard about the dream. About the fire, the circle of people, and the mysterious eyes that only seemed to appear on a certain day. It was starting to turn into a Groundhog Day sort of situation. And much like Bill Murray’s character in the film, Alex was starting to lose his grip on his own well-being.

It wasn’t until the 23rd, 5 days after Alex first arrived, that Skylar said something.

“You alright over there?” she asked, looking up from her history book to Alex, sitting on the couch. 

He was staring straight ahead at the TV screen, trying to focus on the sitcom that was playing and not the strange predicament that had been plaguing him for the past few days. He blinked, Skylar’s question having brought him out of that focus. “Huh?”

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Is everything okay?”

“Oh. Yeah, everything’s fine. It’s just…work stress, you know?” He didn’t want to worry Skylar anymore than she already was. Besides, would she even believe him if he told her the truth? He certainly wouldn’t. “Hey, speaking of work, how’s the investigation going?”

Skylar seemed a bit suspicious at the sudden subject change, but she gestured to her research regardless. “Still no sign of the gem, and there’s not a lot of history about it, either. Found in an archaeological dig, put in the museum, and that’s all she wrote. I don’t get it. If it doesn’t have some special quality or story behind it, why would anyone want to steal it, if not to sell it?”

Alex wished he could help Skylar, but he was just as clueless as she was. If he was honest, he wasn’t even paying attention, as he had begun entertaining an idea that, 5 years ago, would seem ridiculous to him. Everything he’d heard about, the vanishing kidney, the dreams, the missing gem, all of it made him consider a terrifying possibility; what if they were all connected? He never dealt with any of this nonsense in Detroit, not in the ten years he lived there. And yet, after barely a week in Darkwood, he’d seen enough strange and unsettling things to nearly make him want to move back. 

Maybe there was a reason other than crime that made the other residents stay inside after dark. 

As much as Alex didn’t want to believe it, he found himself unable to perceive any scientific explanation for all of this. A shadow had fallen over Darkwood, and poor Alex could barely recognize the town he remembered so fondly. Out of all the impossible questions he had, one stood out in his mind: why? Why, all of a sudden, had Darkwood become so mysterious and unfamiliar? What was the driving force behind this sinister change? What would the future hold if he stayed here?

He needed some air. 

“Think I’m gonna take a walk,” he said, turning off the TV and going to get his jacket.

Skylar looked up at him, and he could see a hint of worry in her eyes. “You sure? It’s getting kinda late.” It was only about a quarter to 8, and the sun was only halfway through setting. Still, it around this time that Darkwood would become void of any night life, so Alex would be on his own. And vulnerable.

“I’ll be fine, I’ll have my phone. I’ll call you if anything goes wrong.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

 

Alex was thankful that the subway system was still open.

He fondly recalled all the trips his parents would take him and Skylar on throughout the city. It was one of the few pleasures left that he could actually indulge in; just about everywhere else he could go was closed. 

As was expected, Alex was the only person waiting in the station. There was no one sitting in the booth when he walked in, but the lights were on, so he assumed that the station was open and that they had gone to the bathroom or something. The sound of his footsteps echoing off the tunnel walls was all he heard as he sat down on an empty bench. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. 

Mom dragging him into all those clothing stores at the mall. Going to the movies with his friends whenever he could. Taking evening strolls around the block with the whole family. All of these memories and more came flooding back as Alex took in the air of the barren subway station. Aside from the excellent Psychology program the college in Detroit offered, he could imagine what on Earth made him decide to leave Darkwood. He smiled, having been brought back to the state he was late that night when he first arrived. He finally felt relaxed.

That was when he heard it.

It was faint, but it echoed off the walls of the subway tunnel in such a way that Alex could just barely pick it up. Slow, rhythmic chanting. Alex was yanked out of his relaxed state and thrown right back into the nightmare he tried to escape from. His mind was playing tricks on him, he told himself. He was becoming so paranoid that he was seeing and hearing things that weren’t there. That ‘chanting’ was all in his head.

And it was getting louder.

And louder.

It was definitely coming from the tunnel. Alex felt his feet move on their own as he crept closer and closer to the noise. Peering down the dark passage, he didn’t see anything, but the chanting had definitely grown in volume. Every fiber of Alex’s being was telling him to go back, to go home, to call the police, to get out of there. Yet he soon found himself moving down the dark tunnel, further away from the safety of the station. 

It only grew darker the further Alex went in. The only sound he could hear was the sound of the chanting and his own footsteps. The voice in the back of his head screaming at him to go back was now barely above a whisper. He was numb to the fear. He didn’t even flinch when he saw the orange glow of a fire as he rounded the corner, nor when he took notice of the people circling the fire. 

Alex’s mind wasn’t as numb as his physical body. He easily recognized the scene, and the possible- no, definite danger he had gotten himself into. He was amazed and terrified all at the same time. Now he understood why the patients who had the dream had trouble sleeping afterward.

Thankfully, none of the chanters had seemed to notice Alex’s approach. After watching them for a few more minutes, he decided it was best to leave and tell the authorities; whichever ones he could find at this hour. He turned and slowly started to make his way back…

“My brothers!”

The chanting stopped immediately and Alex froze in place. He slowly turned to see one person had stepped closer to the fire, his arms outstretched. They weren’t dressed like cultists Alex had seen in the media. Instead, they were dressed rather casually, giving them the appearance of a townspeople ripped right out of a Stephen King novel. The ‘ringleader’ in question was a rather large man in his late thirties or early forties. His voice was loud and booming, making him the perfect ‘preacher.’

“The time for our true leader to rise again has finally come. Our influence has spread across the city like a burning fire! Now, our one and only ruler can escape his imprisonment and bring justice down on those who have wronged him. And then, my brothers, we will be greatly rewarded for our loyalty. Now, join me as we bring him forth and enter a new era of enlightenment…”

The other cultists stepped forward and joined hands. Alex watched as the fire began to glow brighter and brighter, lighting up most of the tunnel. He needed to get out of there and tell someone before-

DING-A-LING!

DING-A-LING!

Alex looked down at his phone, then back up at the cultists. The fire had dimmed significantly as they had taken notice of the odd noise that broke their concentration. Alex acted quickly and crouched down as out of sight as he could manage, answering his phone with a whispered “Hello?”

“Alex? You’ve been gone a while, and it’s getting late. You gonna head back soon?”

For a moment, Alex was relieved to hear Skylar’s voice; if anyone could put an end to this waking nightmare, it was her, so long as she brought backup. “Sky, I don’t have time to explain. You need to come to the subway station on 3rd Street and go down the-“

A burly hand covered Alex’s mouth while an arm wrapped around his chest. He was dragged backward as Skylar called out to him, until another cultist snatched his phone from his hand and smashed it on the ground. He kicked and squirmed, but his captor proved persistent, pulling him to the feet of the ringleader. Alex’s wrists were held behind his back as he was pulled to his feet.

The ringleader was indeed an older gentleman. Most of his hair was gone, and the hair that was still there had begun to turn grey. In his brown eyes, Alex could see tells of madness. He couldn’t help but be reminded of Jim Jones and his doomed congregation.

The ringleader’s tone was reminiscent of a father attempting to calm a child after a nightmare. “You’ve no reason to hide nor fear, my child. You will witness the birth of a new age, and be bathed in the light of the truth.” He then gently took hold of Alex’s wrist and guided it towards the fire. “Come. Be enlightened…”

Alex tried to pull his hand away, but the ringleader’s grip was too strong. He felt his hand grow warmer as it was brought closer to the raging flames. He shut his eyes tight. The nightmare that had indirectly plagued him for days had become a reality, and he couldn’t wake up. He focused hard on the fond memories he had of Darkwood, of his family, his sister…

Suddenly, the heat vanished.

Alex opened his eyes to see the flame had been completely extinguished, leaving him and the cultists in near complete darkness. In place of the flames was a bright orange gemstone, big as a football. The ringleader had let go of his hand, quickly standing back. The cultist holding him had let him go as well, mumbling something about a barrier.

“…It was a mistake to think you could halt our efforts,” the ringleader said, standing over Alex. His expression had changed, becoming hostile and intimidating. He looked back up to the brute behind Alex. “Destroy him.”

Alex felt a strong hand on his shoulder, keeping him stuck on the ground. He tilted his head back to see his captor brandish a pocket knife and gently press the blade to his neck. Alex shut his eyes again…

A scream echoed throughout the tunnel. Alex felt the brute release him, and opened his eyes to see him flying into the tunnel wall. The other cultists were visibly afraid, especially the ringleader. Alex could hear them as they shouted.

“It’s the Guardian!”

“He’s returned!” 

“Oh, God!”

Alex quickly scrambled away as they were distracted. He turned to view them one last time and noticed who exactly they were referring to. Despite the darkness, he could make out a humanoid figure standing before them; it was as if the figure were producing its own light. He wore a white dress shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. A deep purple vest over the shirt, with both of them tucked into his black dress pants, held up by a dark leather belt. His clothes weren't the most interesting thing about him, however. Alex’s eyes widened as he caught sight of a long, feline tail protruding from the figure’s backside, the end of which split off into a Y-shape. He could also see two pointed, furry ears atop his head. Alex blinked. Was he looking at a…cat-man?

The other cultists fled, aside from the ringleader, nearly paralyzed with fear. He could only back up from the cat-man as he focused on the terrified man. He spoke, and his voice reminded Alex of black coffee, with just a hint of cream. 

“There’s no need to be afraid, Doctor. You don’t realize it, but you’ve just been saved from a rather grisly demise, thanks to this gentleman.” The cat-man looked back at Alex, who suddenly recognized him; at least, part of him.

Above his feline muzzle were not one, but two pairs of eyes; one green, one purple.

The cat looked back at the ringleader, placing his hand (paw?) on the man’s head. The ringleader’s eyes fell shut, and he collapsed onto the ground. Alex couldn’t tell if he was deceased or not, but he didn’t want to stick around to find out. He bolted back towards the station.

——————————————————————————————————————————

 

A wave of relief washed over Alex as he reached the station. It was still empty, but it was lit, and there were no cultists or cat-men to be seen. Alex bent over with his hands on his knees and tried to catch his breath. Skylar was probably worried sick about him, and she had a good reason to be! With all the things he’d seen that night, he would probably need therapy himself! He sighed in relief and wiped the sweat off his brow…

“Leaving so soon, Dr. Knescrin?”

Alex spun around to see the cat-man standing not ten feet away with a knowing smile. He backed up against the station wall, staring straight ahead at the feline. “How do you know-“

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that now,” he replied as he took a few steps in Alex’s direction, forcing him tighter up against the wall. “After all, I think we both know you’ve experienced enough excitement tonight. There’ll be time for introductions later.” The cat-man stretched, mouth opening in a wide, long yawn. “We could both use some down time, don’t you think?”

“Alex!”

Alex’s head snapped toward the sound of Skylar’s voice. She stood a ways down the staircase leading from the surface to the station, gun in hand. She immediately aimed it at the cat-man, eyes wide.

“Who the hell is that!?”

Alex watched as the feline stepped away from him and faced Skylar. “It’s alright, Detective, I’m on your side. That goes for both of you, actually. I hate to leave you with so many questions, but I’m afraid my options are limited. Just know that I’ll be seeing both of you again real soon…”

The sound of rapid footsteps drew Alex and Skylar’s attention away from the cat-man as several police officers hurried into the station. When they both looked back, he was gone. They did, however, see the man Alex recognized as the ringleader stumble out from the tunnel, the gemstone in his arms. The police were quick to usher him out, taking the gemstone from him in the process. Skylar hurried through the crowd of police and threw her arms around Alex. 

He didn’t hesitate to return the affection.

——————————————————————————————————————————

 

The two siblings emerged from the subway, and were immediately surrounded by a crowd of both civilians and news reporters. An officer guided them through the mob, deflecting any questions. As they made their way back to Skylar’s apartment, Alex explained everything from the recurring dream to what exactly happened while he was in the tunnel. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier,” he said. “I didn’t think you would believe me. I had trouble believing myself. Still, I should’ve said something. It would’ve saved both of us all this trouble.”

Skylar wrapped an arm around his shoulder and pulled him close. “You don’t have to apologize. You didn’t know what you were getting yourself into, and if you’d told me, I probably wouldn’t have known, either.”

“I know you would’ve tried to help me, though. You’ve always done your best to help me.”

Skylar smiled. “Thanks. And you know, there is a silver lining to this whole thing. That’s the first time in years I’ve seen so many people outside at night…”

Alex looked around, noticing all the people leaving the safety of their homes to investigate the ruckus surrounding the entrance to the subway. It was definitely an odd sight, but he only imagined it was even more odd to Skylar, since she’d lived in Darkwood longer. It was going to take some time for him to get used to things like this. 

“I’m glad the chief gave me the rest of the night off. There’s gonna be a lot to take care of tomorrow.”

Alex nodded. “There’s still a lot of questions that need answering…I know a big one off the top of my head.”

Skylar looked at him. “That cat…thing?”

“He said he’d see us both again…and that he was on our side. What do you think he meant by that?”

Skylar sighed and shook her head. “Whatever he meant, it’s something to look into tomorrow. We’re both exhausted, let’s just get home and get some sleep.”

Sleep had never sounded so appropriate.


	2. Chapter 2

Alex woke up alone.

Skylar left a note on the kitchenette counter, saying she had to go in to the station early to handle all the chaos from the previous night. Alex fixed himself a cup of coffee and turned on the news. Everything- well, most of what happened last night, had garnered plenty of local attention, so news coverage was to be expected. When he was a kid, Alex never really saw the importance of the news. To him, it was just something that grown ups watched on TV because that’s just what grown ups did. Now, he could see why exactly the news was so useful.

The “ringleader” was a researcher at the museum who’d gone missing around the same time the gem had been stolen. How he managed to brainwash all those other people and appear in people’s dreams, however, the news didn’t explain, which Alex could understand. There was a plethora of things that he himself had trouble explaining; a fact he was quickly coming to accept.

Alex briefly turned his attention to the window, gazing down at the busy street below; he watched all the people go about their daily business. 

How could they?

Skylar had told him about all the strange things happening in Darkwood, and he’d witnessed some of them firsthand. There was clearly something wrong with the town, but everyone that lived there just seemed to ignore it. Was it because they were so accustomed to it? Or perhaps there was some other, darker reason? 

Alex sighed. It was too early in the day to think about this sort of thing. He had to get to work…

——————————————————————————————————————————

 

His patients that day were all ones he recognized; the ones who had the dream. Every last one of them, showing up one after another, to tell him roughly the same thing: the dreams had stopped. Alex could tell before they even mentioned it. All of them looked healthy, having finally gotten a decent amount of sleep. Even the woman who he met that first day, who greeted him with a wide smile as she entered his office. 

Alex left work that afternoon, feeling much better than he did when he was there last. He was reminded of why he became a psychologist in the first place: it was all about helping people. The smiles he saw that day were because of him. Sure, maybe it wouldn’t last, and they’d be right back to having nightmares the very next night, but for the time being, it felt good to know that he had helped them achieve peace of mind. 

Hopefully, he could do the same for himself.

The pile of books on the kitchenette counter had grown, with thicker volumes added to the mix. Skylar was on the couch, thumbing through what looked to be yet another history book. Alex set his things down and approached her. They both exchanged “hey’s” as he peered over her shoulder to sneak a peek at the book.

“Any luck?” he asked.

“None for the past few hours. Nothing about the gem, nothing about prophetic dreams, and not a damn thing about 6 foot tall talking cats with four eyes. Not even in the mythology books.”

“What about the researcher? You talked to him, right? He know anything?”

Skylar just shook her head. “Said he didn’t have any memory from before waking up in the tunnel. One moment he was at the museum, next he was passed out in the darkness. He was missing for weeks…”

Alex felt bad for her. Being a police detective, her job had enough frustrating aspects already. He could only imagine how hard she and the others were working now that this mystery had been thrown into the mix. 

He put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Hey, we’ll figure it out. Wanna take a break, go get some dinner or something? I know it’s a bit early, but if we wait, everything might be closed.” Slowly, he was adjusting to Darkwood’s unusual ways.

Sklyar sighed and shut her book. “Sure. Beats working on an empty stomach.”

The two of them grabbed their coats and headed out, Skylar switching off the lights as they went. The apartment grew silent. Time passed, and the sun began to set, casting a shadow over the town. It wasn’t until a quarter to eight when the silence was suddenly broken in the darkened abode. A series of short electronic beeps, followed by a dial tone, and then a voice.

“Hello, Tony’s Pizza.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

 

There were other people out and about the town, much to Skylar’s surprise. It wasn’t much, maybe a few couples and a car or two, but it was a lot more than she was used to. However, she considered it a welcome change. She remembered thinking a few days ago that having Alex back would make Darkwood seem a little less bleak, and now it seemed that she was right. She smiled as she walked the streets with him by her side. Despite the growing darkness as time went on, she recognized many of the streets from her childhood, regarding many of them fondly. She looked to Alex, and he smiled right back at her. It was good to have him back.

After a nice dinner at a local diner, they decided to take the long way back to Darkwood Boulevard. Alex shared some of his experiences living in Detroit, and Skylar told him about the more ridiculous perps she’d dealt with over the years. With everything that had happened in the past few days, it felt good to laugh. For a time, they could forget about their troubles and just enjoy each other’s company. 

When they eventually returned home, Skylar managed to dig up some old home movies that were hidden away in her closet. The two relaxed on the couch as they watched themselves grow up, from when Alex was a newborn, up until he was about six years old. Alex smiled as he watched a clip of his family at Disney World, he and Skylar having just met Mickey Mouse for the first time. He could hear his father’s voice as the camera focused on Mickey, waving goodbye to them.

“Alex, say ‘bye, Mickey! See you real soon!’”

Alex’s smile vanished upon hearing those words. 

“See you real soon…”

Skylar paused the VHS player and turned to look at him. “Did you say something?”

“He said he’d see us real soon,” Alex repeated. “The cat. That’s what he said before he disappeared, remember?”

Skylar’s expression fell grim as she realized what he meant. “Yeah…but, I haven’t seen him at all since last night, have you?”

Alex shook his head. “No. But how soon is ‘real soon?’”

As if to answer Alex’s question, a loud series of knocks came from the other side of the door. Both siblings looked at each other before Skylar slowly rose and crept toward the door, while Alex backed away from it. Skylar took one look back at him before warily peering through the peephole. 

On the other side stood a teenaged boy in a red hoodie, holding a pizza box and a receipt.

Skylar let out a sigh of relief as she opened the door. “Can I help you?”

“Large pizza, half pepperoni half anchovies?” The boy replied, holding out the receipt.

“We didn’t order a pizza,” Alex said slowly, stepping forward. 

The boy suddenly looked nervous. “You didn’t? Shit, this hasn’t happened before. I dunno what to do.”

Skylar sighed and opened her wallet, pulling out a twenty dollar bill. “Here, we’ll take it for your sake. Keep the change.” The boy thanked her profusely as she signed the receipt and took the pizza. Once all was said and done, she set the pizza on the counter. “Well, looks like we’ve got lunch and dinner for tomorrow.”

“I don’t get it,” Alex said, perplexed. “We haven’t been home for the past few hours, neither of us could have ordered pizza. So who did?”

“Someone who hasn’t had pizza for the last decade, give or take a few weeks.”

Alex and Skylar froze, recognizing the smooth, bassy voice from the other night. They both turned to see that someone was on the other side of the counter. The pizza box was open, with the lid obscuring their view of the person, but the sight of the long, black, Y-split tail waving back and forth behind them confirmed their fears. 

Indeed, it was the cat-man who shut the box after taking a slice of anchovy pizza, fully revealing himself to the siblings. He wore the same outfit from the night before, with the exception of a deep red vest and tie. He set his pizza aside and leaned on the counter, looking at Alex and Skylar. 

“I told you I’d see you again. Hey, thanks for buying, detective. I owe you one.” 

Alex and Skylar looked at each other, expressions frozen in shock, before looking back at the cat. Both of them were speechless. He was not so.

“What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?” He chuckled quietly at his own pun.

“You think this is funny?!” Skylar shouted. “Breaking into our home, is that some kind of joke to you?!”

“Well, technically I didn’t break in. Perks of being a multi-dimensional being. Oh, where are my manners?” The cat stepped around the counter and approached them, making them step back out of caution. He extended a paw. “Nick Nocturne, and I believe I already know your names.”

Of course, neither of the siblings made a move to return the polite gesture. They were still understandably nervous, and just a bit miffed. How could this cat…thing be so casual? 

“Look, Mr. Nocturne,” Alex spoke up. “Regardless of whether or not you broke in, you’re still an intruder, and we have connections to the police-“

“And I’ll be gone by the time they get here,” said Nick, interrupting Alex’s threat. “And I’ll be back as soon as they leave. You see, I’ll be sticking around here with you two for quite a while. I have to.”

“Why?” Skylar asked. 

Nick just smiled and wandered over by the television. He straddled a chair, which hadn’t been there before, and gestured for both of them to take a seat on the couch. Reluctantly, they both made their way over and sat down, staying close to each other. 

“How long have you lived in Darkwood, Alex?” Nick asked.

Alex looked at Skylar before answering. “Most of my life. I moved to Detroit when I was eighteen.”

“How long did you live there?”

“About ten years…”

“That’s a long time away from home.” Nick looked out the window at the darkened street. “Did you get homesick?”

“A little, yeah. I like to think that’s why I decided to come back. I mean, I’d walk around in Detroit and I’d see something that reminded me of Darkwood, and I’d say to myself, ‘I should be in Darkwood, I should be home.’”

“And you think it was just homesickness?”

Alex blinked. “Was it…was it not?”

“If it was, you wouldn’t be here,” said Nick, looking back at Alex. “You would’ve gotten over it and continued to live in Detroit. No, Dr. Knescrin, you’re not here because you missed home. You’re here because you need to be. Darkwood needs you here. I need you here.”

Alex had a bit of a hard time believing that. What would a self-proclaimed “multi-dimensional being” need him for? From the looks of it, he could take care of himself. “Why? What makes me so special?”

“A lot more than you think,” Nick replied, standing up and approaching the window. “You see, the reality that you and the rest of humanity exist in is surrounded by countless other realities, each one with its own differences. Now normally, organisms aren’t able to travel between these realities, due to a protective field that keeps them all separated. However, the field isn’t perfect; there are several areas in different realities where the field is weak. In this particular reality, there’s a weak point right where Darkwood stands. It’s so weak, that several organisms from all sorts of realities can leak in. Now, to make up for these weak points, the Barriers were created.”

“By who?”

“Other multi-dimensional entities. They’re the ones who act as mediators between the realities, as they’re one of the few entities that can move between them. Some of them have morals, others not so much.”

Alex and Skylar shared a worried look.

“At first, these Barriers were merely constructs, acting somewhat like duct tape, and as such, they were easily destroyed. Then, the multi-dimensionals discovered that the Barriers were several times more powerful when infused with another force: life. And so, they started bestowing the power of the Barrier within living things. Still, life is fragile, so each Barrier was assigned a Guardian to watch over it.” Nick looked back at Alex, focusing on him as he sat back down in his chair. “Now, fast forward to about 1989. The newest Barrier had been established for Darkwood, and all was well for the next eighteen years.” Nick leaned forward, still focused on Alex, who could feel the feline’s cold stare send shivers up his spine. “That is, until the Barrier, or rather the person infused with its power, decides to up and leave Darkwood for the next ten years…”

Alex began to feel the crushing weight of Nick’s words. His mind flashed back to that night in the subway tunnel. Somehow, he extinguished the fire that tried to “enlighten” him, just by touching it. He recalled one of the cultists saying something about a barrier before trying to kill him. It was all making sense. Too much sense.

“I-I’m the Barrier,” he finally said, utterly shocked.

“And you’re the Guardian?” Skylar asked Nick, just as awestruck. 

Nick just grinned smugly. “That’s right, and this guy’s been slacking off.” He pointed a claw at Alex. “Do you have any idea how much has happened ever since you ran off? You could’ve stayed and gone to a nice community college, but no, you had run off to some uptight state university a thousand miles away…”

“And what did you do all that time?” Skylar interjected. “You’re the Guardian, aren’t you? Why didn’t you try to stop him from leaving? And even if you couldn’t, why didn’t you just try to guard Darkwood yourself?”

“I’m a multi-dimensional being. Everything I do when I’m not in this reality you couldn’t possibly comprehend. To put it simply, I’m a pretty busy guy. Besides, I didn’t think Alex would leave, since most Barriers have enough instinct to stay in one place for their entire life. Of course, most Barriers of this reality haven’t been human. Usually it’s plants, or animals; you know, things that don’t move around a whole lot. It’s a big risk making a human a Barrier, but human Barriers have a history of being extremely effective against interlopers. So, once in a blue moon, a human is infused.” Nick straightened back up, resting his paws in his lap. “As for why I didn’t guard Darkwood myself, well, it’s a bit of a long story. A lot of other multi-dimensionals decided I was to blame for letting Alex leave, so I was imprisoned indefinitely. When he eventually came back, I was released and put on a sort of parole. They gave me explicit orders to make sure he stayed in Darkwood. They even gave me permission to reveal myself to him if necessary; something no Guardian has ever done or is ever supposed to do.” He looked back to Alex. “You hear that, Doctor? You’re a special case…”

Alex didn’t feel special. The only thing he felt was overwhelmed, and a bit guilty. Every strange, seemingly inexplicable thing that happened in Darkwood happened because of him. Indirectly, of course, but it was all because he wasn’t there to act as its Barrier. Not only that, but he had also gotten Nick imprisoned for an entire decade, and he couldn’t even imagine what that was like. “I-I’m sorry…” he muttered sheepishly. 

“Oh, you’re sorry!?” Nick shouted, standing up. “You think a measly little apology will make up for what I’ve gone through!? Do you have any, any idea of what it’s like to be imprisoned in a non-Euclidean prison cell!?” As he spoke, Nick’s voice began to distort to a lower, more sinister octave. “No food, no water, no sleep, no time to even think! You’re trapped in a constantly shifting landscape of varying rooms and hallways! No matter where you go, you can never get your bearings! Every second, your senses are bombarded by a strobe of colors and sounds, some of which you can’t even comprehend! It’s an endless assault on the mind as you’re forced to stay alive, wandering aimlessly in a vain search for respite! I had to suffer through all of that for ten. Long. YEARS!” 

Alex and Skylar clung to each other during Nick’s rant. They could both feel the air in the apartment grow heavy and…angry. A faint buzz of electricity surrounding them grew stronger and stronger until all at once, it stopped. Nick collapsed into his chair, his face buried in his paws. The siblings could hear his labored breathing, neither one daring to move to try and comfort him. Eventually, he looked back at up Alex, purple and green eyes glaring into the terrified man’s very soul. 

“I’m not the type of guy to seek revenge, Alex; I like to think I’m above that. Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m going to let this slide so easily. Thanks to you, Darkwood is now a cesspool made up of the scum of the multiverse. You made this mess, so you’re going to clean it up.”

Alex felt his heart drop as Nick said those last words. His tone reminded him of the times he was scolded as a child by his father. He was hit with a wave of embarrassment, terror, and remorse, all at once. “H-how? I’m just one guy! I don’t even know where to begin!”

“Of course you don’t,” Nick replied. “You’re a human. You didn’t even know the multiverse existed until a few minutes ago. So, since I’m your Guardian, I’ll be assisting you with the cleanup detail.”

“I’ll help you, too,” Skylar offered. She looked at Nick, who quirked an eyebrow. “Alex is my brother, and I promised him I’d do anything to help him. I may not understand what we’re up against, but I’m not just gonna sit back and let Alex handle it with someone like you.” 

Nick just hummed. “If you’re that determined, then I suppose I’ll allow it.” He then turned to Alex. “Well, Doctor?”

Alex blinked. “What choice do I have?”

Nick smiled and stood up. “I’m glad we could resolve this in a civil manner. Now, how about that pizza?” He walked back over to the pizza box, grabbing some paper plates and topping them off with pizza. Alex and Skylar remained close by each other, still trying to process the situation. As frightening and uncertain as the future seemed, they both knew that if they stuck together, they would pull through. They looked at each other, making a silent agreement to be strong, no matter what happened.

“You guys want something to drink?” Nick asked.

The siblings looked at him. In two of his hands, he had a plate of pizza each, while two more hands which had suddenly appeared, sprouting from his torso, rummaged in Skylar’s fridge.

Alex promptly fainted.


	3. Chapter 3

“G’night, Fred.”

“Seeya, Janine.”

The younger woman left as Fred continued to mop in front of the main counter. It was nearing eleven o’clock at night, and with no other customers around, the convenience store was eerily silent. This didn’t bother Fred as he finished up mopping. He’d been working late shifts for most of his life, so he was used to being alone most of the time. It actually gave him a sort of peace of mind.

However, it was a temporary peace.

As he started to put the mop and bucket back in their original places, a strange sound coming from the bathroom caught his attention. Usually, odd noises from the bathroom meant plumbing problems or something similar, but this didn’t sound like a clogged toilet.

It sounded like music.

Fred sighed and approached the men’s bathroom. Must’ve been some kid trying to hide out and forgot to put his phone on silent. Although, it was pretty loud for a ringtone. He put an ear to the door to listen more closely. His eyes widened as he suddenly recognized the melody.

Uptown girl  
She’s been living in her uptown world  
I bet she’s never had a backstreet guy  
I bet her momma never told her why

Fred blinked. He hadn’t heard that song in years. It was a good song, but who in God’s name would be playing it so loud in a convenience store bathroom of all places? To get some answers, Fred pushed open the bathroom door and peered inside. His face contorted into an expression of sheer terror, his brain struggling to process what exactly he was witnessing up until the moment it lunged at him.

——————————————————————————————————————————

 

Alex woke up in his bed, which was a welcome change from the floor in the living room. Memories of the previous night shook him from his groggy state, and he nervously looked to his bedroom door. It was there in the living room that both his life and mental state were thrown into question. He still couldn’t believe it, and if it was the truth, he was hesitant to enter the living room and face it. 

Eventually, his hunger for breakfast won over, and he creaked open the bedroom door. He first saw Skylar, dressed for work and standing by the coffee machine. Next, he saw…nothing. No cat-man to speak of anywhere in the room. He let out a sigh of relief as he fully opened the door and stepped out; it was nice to have a peaceful morning after such a chaotic night.

Skylar smiled when she noticed him, and she set a fresh mug of coffee on the counter for him. “Black with cream; just how you like it.”

Alex returned the smile as he sipped the warm beverage. The leftover anxieties from the previous evening had begun to fade away, thanks to the sweet ambrosia. Things were going to be okay.

“Sleep well, Dr. Knescrin?” came a smooth, silken voice from behind.

Alex’s smile fell as he turned toward the sound. He didn’t see Nick until he looked to the floor. There stood a feral cat, fur as black as night, with a Y-split tail and two pairs of eyes. It was Nick alright. “Y-you’re still here,” he stammered, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

Nick chuckled. “Well, of course! I am your Guardian after all. Letting you out of my sight would be terribly irresponsible of me. The other Guardians made that explicitly clear.”

Skylar appeared at Alex’s side and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. “After you fainted, Nick explained that he was a shapeshifter, which was why he grew two extra arms last night. Said it would help him blend in.”

“Blend in?” Alex repeated, confused. “What’s he need to blend in for? It’s not like he’s coming to work with me…is he?”

Skylar only gave him a nervous smile in response. 

Alex looked back at Nick, who looked as smug as ever. “You’re not,” he said sternly.

“Oh, but I am,” Nick replied, flashing that cheshire cat smile. “Being a Guardian’s kind of a full-time job.”

“Full-time job?! You said the others let you out when I came back, but I didn’t see you until a few days after that! You call that full time?!”

Nick frowned, more annoyed than disheartened at Alex’s outburst. “I wanted to give you time to readjust to living in Darkwood, because I’m nice like that. Besides, I need to familiarize myself with human society, since so much had changed in the past ten years. I mean, they made a third season of Twin Peaks, for crying out loud! I couldn’t miss out on that! You understand, right?”

Alex just glared at him. 

“Besides,” he continued. “You won’t even know I’m there.”

“Somehow, I highly doubt that. What am I supposed to tell my patients if they see you? That you’re a therapy animal?”

“His voice is kinda therapeutic,” Skylar muttered. 

“You let me worry about that,” said Nick. “All you need to do is go about your daily business. I’ll handle the rest.” 

As reluctant as Alex was, he could tell that Nick was pretty set on following him to work. He’d have to grin and bear it for now, it seemed. “Fine. Just try not to distract me from work, okay?”

Nick grinned wide. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

 

When Alex arrived at the office, he found it to be rather quiet. Too quiet. He expected Nick to pop up at any moment and ruin things; he seemed like the kind of guy that would do that kind of thing, just for laughs. He could see why the other Guardians would want to imprison him; he had “troublemaker” written all over his face. Maybe everywhere else, too.

The patients were pretty standard fare that day. People he’d seen before, some new faces, and thankfully, no recurring nightmares. The fear of an unpleasant surprise from Nick slowly faded as the day went on. It wasn’t until just before his lunch break that Alex finally saw him.

While one of his patients was making a note regarding their next appointment on their phone, Alex briefly looked out one of the windows in his office. Across the street, there was a streetlamp, and on the streetlamp sat a big, black crow. Alex didn’t think much of it at first, but upon a closer look after the patient left, he noticed something rather telling about it. While it seemed like a normal crow, Alex could see that one of its eyes was colored a bright green, while the other was a deep purple. He even thought he saw the bird wink at him.

Well, he’d have to thank Nick for fulfilling his request.

Alex decided to have lunch at a nearby café, and left the office soon after he noticed Nick. As he passed by what he thought was an empty alley, he heard the distinct cry of a cat, and stopped. Looking down the alley, he saw Nick, back in his cat form, smiling at him. 

“Got a minute?” he asked. “I think I’ve picked up on a lead.”

“A lead?”

“For cleanup detail, remember? Come on, it won’t take long.”

Nick turned and headed down the alley, Alex reluctantly following close behind. 

——————————————————————————————————————————

 

The police tape was the first thing Alex noticed as he and Nick approached the convenience store. Next, he noticed Skylar, talking with an older woman on the sidewalk. Alex looked down at Nick, who just sat there, watching the police activity. After a few minutes, Skylar noticed them and walked over.

“Alex, what are you doing here?” She looked at Nick. “Something wrong?”

“I suppose that depends on what you’ve found, Detective.”

Skylar furrowed her brow. She didn’t trust Nick all that much, but given the circumstances, it was best that she did as he said. “Potential homicide. Night guy was found in the bathroom, eviscerated.”

“Eviscerated and it’s only a potential homicide?” Alex asked.

“Officer’s words, not mine.”

“Any security camera footage?” inquired Nick.

“We haven’t looked yet, but there should be some CCTV footage.”

“Think you could get us in to look at it?”

“Not unless you’re officially involved in the investigation.”

Nick frowned at this, but his devious smile returned almost immediately. “Not to worry, we’ll find a way.” He looked to Alex. “Until then, we can both relax.”

Alex nodded. “I assume that means I can go get lunch now?”

Nick seemed to think for a moment before nodding. “I shall allow it.” He flashed a wicked grin.

The siblings rolled their eyes.

——————————————————————————————————————————

 

Skylar was kind enough to cook dinner that night. Nick said he had to take care of some ‘important business’ so it was just the two of them. While they ate, they took the time to discuss what to do regarding their situation. The two of them had become “monster hunters” overnight, and neither of them really had that kind of experience; then again, it was safe to assume no one else did, either. They both agreed that they’d just try and go with the flow and adapt the best they could to whatever they faced. 

History proved that they worked best when they worked together. They were each other’s shoulder to cry on when their mother passed, and when Skylar was still in the police academy, Alex was always close by to offer moral support. As long as they stayed by each other’s side, there was nothing they couldn’t accomplish.

They had just finished washing dishes when Nick finally reappeared. Instead of his normal outfit, he wore what looked to be a deep red bathrobe, complete with some purple slippers. The siblings gave him a strange look. 

“What? I’m allowed to dress for comfort. Besides, it’s been a long day. Watching Alex do nothing but talk to a bunch of humans all day gets pretty boring after a while.”

“Where’ve you been, anyway?” Alex inquired. 

Nick smiled and produced an unlabeled video tape from seemingly nowhere. “Like I said, important business.” With that, he bent down and pushed the tape into the VCR under the TV. Skylar took the hint and began fiddling with the remote until she found the right input. 

The screen showed nothing but blue for a few seconds until some grainy video footage appeared. The footage showed the interior of the convenience store, with a time stamp in the top left corner. It was about a quarter to eleven. 

“This is the CCTV footage from the store!” Skylar exclaimed, glaring at Nick. “It’s supposed to be in an evidence locker at the station! How the hell did you get a hold of it!?”

“I have my ways,” Nick replied, not even looking at her. “Now watch.”

The trio watched as an older man mopped the floor. ‘Must be the clerk,’ Alex thought. After a few minutes of mopping, the man began to put the mop and bucket away, but suddenly stopped and looked toward the restroom. He approached and put his ear to the door, listening carefully before opening it. In a flash, he was pulled into the restroom, and screams could be heard coming from inside, mixed with visceral sounds of tearing flesh and what sounded like music. 

“Jesus,” Skylar muttered.

After a few more minutes, the door to the restroom opened, but nothing seemed to exit. The music did get louder, however, and Alex recognized the song.

She’ll see I’m not so tough  
Just because  
I’m in love with an uptown girl

The front door opened, albeit nothing showed up on the tape, and the music faded into silence. Alex and Skylar looked at each other before looking at Nick.

“What was that?” Alex asked.

“That was just one of the many creatures we’ll come across in Darkwood.”

“What’s it called?” Skylar queried. 

“It doesn’t have a name. Well, not one that humans can comprehend, at least. The reality it’s from has some pretty major differences in terms of its inhabitants’ biological makeup. To put it simply, it’s what you could call a ‘mimic,’ but not in the traditional sense. It mimics sound rather than appearance.”

“Like a parrot?”

“In a sense. A parrot can only repeat what it’s heard in its own voice, whereas this creature mimics it perfectly. If you listened to the original version of Uptown Girl and then listened to the mimic, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.”

“Why Uptown Girl of all things, though?” questioned Alex.

“That’s how it attracts its prey. It seeks out sounds that attract attention and uses them to lure in its victims. As for why it’s a pop song from the eighties, my guess is it saw a large group of people at a bar or a club and the song was playing, so it associated the song with large gatherings of people. Never said it was an intelligent creature.”

Skylar nodded. “So, how do we get rid of it?”

“We send it back to the reality it came from, but to do that, we need to capture it, which is no easy task, given that it’s only visible when attacking.”

“Is there a way to lure it into a trap or something?” Alex suggested. 

Nick’s devious grin appeared once more. “There is, actually, but we’ll get into it tomorrow. For now, I’ll let you two get some rest.”

Skylar hesitated, but decided to worry about what Nick meant in the morning. While she headed off to her bedroom, however, Alex stayed on the couch. He was tired, but he was also curious about Nick. After all, it wasn’t every day that he’d interact with a four-eyed, six foot tall cat. If he was going to see him a lot more often, he might as well get to know the guy. 

“Uh, so, you like Darkwood?” he asked.

Nick looked over at him, an eyebrow raised. “What are you doing?”

“What do you mean? I’m just trying to make conversation, you know?”

Nick sighed. “Look, I know what you’re trying to do. You want to get all ‘buddy-buddy’ and try to be my friend. Well, we’re not friends, Alex. We can’t be friends. Our relationship as Barrier and Guardian is supposed to be strictly professional. Hell, you weren’t even supposed to know I existed in the first place.” Nick stood up and retrieved the VHS tape from the VCR, turning back to look at Alex. “I don’t need you to be my friend, Alex. What I do need is for you to be the Barrier. That’s it. Now, you should really get some rest.”

Without another word, Alex got up and went to his bedroom.

This was going to be a fun experience…

——————————————————————————————————————————  
The next morning was quiet and rather awkward. Nick didn’t say a word, keeping mostly to himself. Alex and Skylar talked before Alex left for work. He considered telling her about what happened last night, but decided to save it for when Nick wasn’t around. 

As he went about his day, he occasionally glanced over at Nick, watching him from the streetlamp again. In a way, he reminded Alex of a few of the patients he had in the past. When he first met them, they were hesitant to open up about their lives, but after a few visits, they were comfortable enough to share some personal details. Perhaps it would be the same case with Nick, although Alex couldn’t say for sure. After all, all his patients were human, and Nick wasn’t. 

The evening was just as quiet as the morning. Alex and Skylar talked some more, even shared a few laughs. Still, they were both feeling a bit uncomfortable at Nick’s silence. He simply sat on the couch and watched TV, back in his usual outfit with the purple vest and tie. His tail lay beside him, idly swaying back and forth. 

Skylar looked over at him and cleared her throat. “So, when were we gonna go after that mimic? Sooner the better, right?”

Nick turned his head in her direction, his bottom pair of eyes blinking, followed by the top pair. “I suppose you have a point,” he replied, standing up. “We’ll need to go somewhere where no one will see us, like an abandoned building.”

“There’s an old warehouse on 4th street.”

“That should work. I’ll meet you there, I need to gather some supplies.” With that, Nick vanished, leaving the siblings to drive to the abandoned warehouse. 

Neither Alex nor Skylar could recall what exactly the old warehouse was for. They never really saw anyone go in or come out when they were kids, so they assumed it was practically abandoned by now. A look inside proved their assumptions correct. The warehouse was nearly empty save for some debris scattered here and there. The moonlight shone through the large windows, bathing the warehouse floor in an eerie glow. It was definitely the place to find a monster. 

Nick appeared a few minutes later, clutching something in his paws. 

“So, how exactly are we luring this thing here?” Alex asked.

“Simple, Doctor,” Nic said, revealing the small perfume bottle in his hands. “Live bait.” Without warning, he sprayed the contents of the bottle onto Alex, dousing him completely.

“What the hell!?” Skylar shouted, stomping in Nick’s direction. “You didn’t say anything about using Alex as bait! I thought you were supposed to be protecting him!”

“Relax, Detective. If all goes according to plan, he’ll come out unscathed.”

“What did you even spray me with?” Alex inquired, catching the scent of the liquid. “Ugh, it smells awful!”

“That would be the pheromones of another mimic. You see, when two mimics meet, they engage in a fight to the death in order to establish dominance. This scent should lead our mimic right to us.”

“And if it attacks me?” 

“It’ll be trapped before it even gets close. I made sure of that. Now all we have to do is wait.”

Time passed, the warehouse silent aside from the breathing of its only three occupants. Skylar looked back and forth between Nick and Alex. If things didn’t go according to plan, what would happen to Alex? She didn’t want to think about it, but she knew that Nick would never hear the end of it. That is, if his ears were still attached to his head by the time she was done with him. 

Eventually, all three of them could hear a faint sound growing louder and louder coming from outside the warehouse. Alex recognized the tune immediately.

And when she knows what  
She wants from her time  
And when she wakes up  
And makes up her mind

“Showtime,” said Nick, suddenly vanishing. Alex and Skylar both looked understandably worried as he left. Where could he be going at a time like this?! 

Slowly, one of the warehouse doors began to lift, but only about a foot off the ground before sliding back down. The song had gotten louder, amplified by the acoustics of the building. Skylar backed away from Alex, who was frozen in fear. He could hear and feel the mimic get closer and closer. His heart was pounding in his chest and his breathing had quickened significantly. He was left at the mercy of the creature as it drew ever nearer…

SLAM

The siblings jumped as a large, metallic box suddenly dropped from the ceiling and hit the concrete floor. The song was now muffled, coming from inside the box. Alex let out a heavy sigh of relief as Nick reappeared. 

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

The siblings both glared at him. 

“Just get rid of this thing, alright?” Skylar demanded. 

“But of course. One moment while I prepare for its departure.” With that, he vanished once more.

Skylar approached the box. “Where did this even come from? It just fell out of nowhere.”

Alex shrugged. “I guess he pulled it from another dimension or something? That’s the only answer I can think of. I’m just glad this thing’s not dangerous anymore.”

BANG

The siblings jumped again as the noise echoed in the warehouse. The song inside the box grew louder, followed by another loud bang. They backed up as the song continued to increase in volume and the creature inside thrashed about. The box shook with every blow, until a large indentation appeared in one side, which quickly became a hole. The creature was free, and the song was as loud as ever.

She'll see I'm not so tough  
Just because  
I'm in love with an uptown girl

Alex froze again, feeling the mimic’s eyes trained on him. Slowly, he could begin to see the creature’s form come into vision. His expression twisted in horror and he put his hands out in front of him as it leapt at him.

“ALEX!”

Alex could barely hear his sister scream his name. He was too focused. His life flashed before his eyes. He saw his early life in Darkwood, his old apartment, his family, his mother. All his old memories of Darkwood played back in his head. He could only stand there with his arms outstretched and wait for the end.

But the end never came.

He slowly opened his eyes to see what exactly happened. The creature was gone, and the song was no longer playing. He looked to Skylar, covering her mouth with a shocked expression. He then looked at his own hands, which felt unusually warm. Faint, blue wisps of smoke were floating into the air off his fingertips. 

Skylar immediately ran over and embraced him. Alex could see the beginnings of tears in her eyes, and he could feel them in his as well. He just squeezed her, standing in the middle of the warehouse. Suddenly, he felt Skylar look away, and a sudden chill ran through his spine. He looked up and followed her gaze to Nick, standing not ten feet away. His fists were clenched tightly, green and purple fire burning in his eyes. Even some bits of his fur was standing up, mostly on his tail. 

“What. Did you. Do?”


End file.
